Automatic bottle filling machine



Nov. 18, 1958 M. BARTHELEMY AUTOMATIC BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE 3SheetsSheet 1 Filed 001;. 13, 1955 Inuentr fdi Biff/1e /e. m5

A ttorn e ys Nov. 18, 1958 M. BARTHEL EMY AUTOMATIC BOTTLE FILLINGMACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 13, 1955 Inventor HQ Barthe/EMJ Nov.18, 1958 M. BARTHELEMY AUTOMATIC BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Oct. 13, 1955 Inventor 7* Banrtke/Q y I An... W

Attorneys United States Patent Ofiic 2,860,454 Patented Nov. 18, 1958AUTOMATIC BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE Max Barthelemy, Deuil, France, assignorto Societe Parisienne dExpansion Chimique S. P. E. C. I. A., Paris,France, a French body corporate Application October 13, 1955, Serial No.540,306

Claims priority, application France October 21, 1954 5 Claims. (Cl.53-115) This invention relates to an automatic bottle filling machine.

Lozenges, tablets and like articles (hereinafter referred to simply aslozenges) are frequently marketed in a bottle, into which a wad ofcotton wool is first introduced, followed by a predetermined number oflozenges, and finally by a second wad of cotton wool, the cotton woolserving to hold the lozenges in position within the bottle and toprotect them from shock. It is desirable that the wads of cotton woolshould be of regular thickness and should have no burrs which mightinterefere with the subsequent stoppering of the bottle.

Machines exist for introducing a wad of cotton wool into a bottle bycutting or tearing a wad from a slub of cotton wool and introducing thewad so formed into the bottle by means of movable fingers. Thesefingers, however, have to be given somewhat complicated movements withthe result that burring of the wads frequently occurs. There also 'existlozenge-dispensing machines, more especially of the type comprising aperforated turntable, the machines being adapted to fill bottles with apredetermined number of lozenges. It has previously been necessary,however, when filling a bottle with lozenges and cotton wool asdescribed above, to employ three separate machines, namely a machine forintroducing the bottom wad, a lozenge-dispensing machine, and a machinefor introducing the top wad.

According to the invention there is provided an automatic bottle fillingmachine comprising 'a turntable having a compartment adapted to receivea bottle, means for introducing an empty bottle into and withdrawing afilled bottle from the compartment, and means for imparting astep-by-step movement to the turntable whereby the compartment is firstmoved into alignment with a device adapted to introduce a wad of cottonwool into the bottom of the bottle, is then moved into alignment with adevice adapted to introduce a predetermined number of lozenges into thebottle, and is finally moved into alignment with a device adapted tointroduce a wad of cotton Wool to the top of the bottle.

Preferably each device for introducing a wad of cotton wool comprises ahollow guide, means for feeding a slub of cotton wool to the interior ofthe guide, means for moving the slub downwardly within the guide so thatan end of the slub projects beneath the bottom of the guide; means forcutting off the projecting portion so as to form a wad, and means forintroducing the wad into the bottle. The means for moving the slubdownwardly within the guide may comprise a comb whose teeth pass througha vertical slot in the guide, means being provided for reciprocating theteeth of the comb in the slot. Each guide is conveniently formed with aninverted frustroconical interior surface and the means for cutting offthe projecting portion of the slub may comprise a rotating knife whichis continuously urged against the bottom of the guide. A flat piston maybe employed for introducing the wad of cotton wool into the bottle.

The hollow guides of the two devices for introducing a wad of cottonwool are preferably secured to each other and are mounted for movementabout the axis of the turntable, movement of the axis effecting movementof the turntable through a rachet wheel and a pawl.

The device adapted to introduce lozenges into the bottle preferablycomprising a hopper for lozenges, a distributor disc onto which lozengesmay fall from the hopper, and a chute for delivering lozenges from thedistributor disc to the bottle. The distributor disc is preferablydivided into a plurality of sectors each of which is provided with aplurality of perforations for the passage therethrough of lozenges.Means are preferably provided for rotating the distributor disc, whilethe turntable is stationary, through an angle equal to the angle of thesaid sectors. Means may also be provided for preventing rotation of thedistributor disc whenever an empty compartment is aligned with thedevice for introducing lozenges. Thus there may be provided a feeleradapted to detect the presence or absence of a bottle in thecompartment, means for driving the distributor disc, and meanscontrolled by the detector, for coupling the distributor disc to thedriving means when a bottle is present and for uncoupling thedistributor disc from the driving means and preventing rotation of thedistributor disc when a bottle is absent.

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the acompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a machine according to theinvention,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic fragmentary vertical view, in developed form,of the machine shown in Figure l, and

Figure 3 is a detailed view of a control and safety device employed onthe machine of Figures 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings, a machine according to the inventioncomprises a turntable 1 provided with a plurality of angularly spacedapart compartments 2 formed at the periphery of the turntable 1. Eachcompartment 2 is adapted to receive a bottle 3, a bottle 3 beingintroduced into an empty compartment 2 when the latter is suitablyaligned with a conveyor belt 4 which feeds the bottles 3 to the machine.Situated above the turntable 1 and detachably secured thereto is anannular member 5 having angularly spaced apart circular holes 6 co-axialwith the compartments 2, the diameter of the holes 6 being equal to orslightly smaller than that of the necks of the bottles to be filled. Theturntable 1 and the annular member 5 are given an intermittentrotational movement in the direction of the arrow F by means to bedescribed hereinafter, the amplitude of each displacement of theturntable and annular member being equal to the angular distance betweentwo consecutive compartments 2.' Assuming that the machine has beenstarted, the first displacement of the turntable 1 brings a bottle 3 ina compartment 2 below a cotton Wool feeding device adapted to introducea bottom wad of cotton wool into the bottle. The said device comprises ahollow guide 7 whose interior has an inverted frustro-conical shape, aslub 8 of cotton wool being fed to the interior of the guide 7, thediameter of the slub 8, prior to its introduction into the guide 7,being substantially the same as that of the bottom of the bottle 3.Tapered teeth 9 of a comb 9' pass through a longitudinal slot in theguide 7. The comb 9' is lowered as soon as the turntable 1 is stoppedwhereby a quantity of cotton wool is introduced into an opening 6 of theannular member 5 situated below said device. The quantity of cotton woolmay be regulated as desired by varying the amplitude of the verticalmovement of the comb. The turntable 1 then performs a further movementin which it is accompanied by the cotton wool feeding device, whichmoves from a position A to a position B (as indicated in Figure l) and,in the course of this movement, the cotton wool slub is cut by acontinuously rotating knife 10. During this movement, the comb 9 risesto its higher position, whereafter an arm 11, which carries the guide 7,returns from B to A, and the teeth 9 of the comb 9 are again introducedinto the cotton wool slub 8. The next movement of the turntable 1 bringsthe bottle 3 below a flat piston 12 of slightly smaller diameter thanthe neck of the bottle. The piston 12 descends while the bottle isstationary and in so doing forces the wad of cotton wool to the bottomof the bottle. The piston 12 then rises and is disengaged from theannular member 5. The wad of cotton wool has been compressed by theguide 7 so as to have a diameter corresponding to that of the neck ofthe bottle 3. When, however, the wad is placed at the bottom of thebottle, it expands to its original diameter, whereby the bottom of thebottle is lined with a wad of regular thickness. A further movement ofthe turntable 1 brings the bottle 3, whose bottom is now lined withcotton wool, below a chute 13 by means of which lozenges are fed to thebottle. The lozenges are automatically counted by means of distributordisc 14, which is subdivided into a number of equal sectors each havinga number of perforations (of the dimension of one lozenge) equal to thenumber of lozenges which it is desired to introduce into each bottle.The distributor disc 14 is fed with lozenges from a hopper l5, and asuitable device (for example a brush or scraper not shown) ensures thatone lozenge is introduced into each perforation. While the turntable 1is stationary, the distributor disc 14 rotates through an angle equal tothe angle at the centre of the aforesaid sectors. The tablets then fallinto the chute 13 and from there into the bottle 3. At this instant thebottle is preferably given a series of vibrations, for example by meansof an eccentric, in order to compact the lozenges within the bottle. Thetop wad is then introduced into the bottle by means of a second cottonwool feeding device 7', 9", a second continuously rotating knife 10 anda second piston 12', the top wad being introduced into the bottle in thesame manner as the bottom wad. Thus the cotton wool is fed to the guide7' at A and is cut by the knife 10' in the course of its movement from Ato B. On being introduced into the top of the bottle, the top wadexpands, whereby the top of the bottle is lined with a wad of regularthickness, the wad having no burrs which may be gripped during thestoppering of the bottle and prevent fluid-tightness thereof. The bottleis then delivered from the machine by means of the conveyor belt 4.

The general operation of the machine having been explained, a number ofcharacteristic details thereof will now be described.

The two guides 7, 7' are secured to one another, and the horizontalrocking movement of the said guides from A to B and from A to Brespectively and vice versa is imparted thereto by means of a cam (notshown). This rocking movement drives the turntable 1 through a ratchetwheel 1, which is secured to said turntable 1, and a pawl 11" which isconnected to the arm 11.

The continuously rotating knives are constantly urged, by springs (notshown), against the lower portions of the said hollow guides 7 whichform counter-blades, the space between each guide and the top of theannular member being just sufficient to allow the respective knife topass, so that a clean cutting of the slub of cotton wool without burringis ensured.

The holes 6 in the annular member 5 constitute a reserve space capableof receiving surplus lozenges or tablets if the latter are not properlyfed into the bottle. The annular member 5 may moveover be replaced sothat bottles of different sizes may be employed without in any waychanging the position of the various parts of the machine.

A special device is provided to disengage and hold fast the distributordisc 14 for the distribution of the lozenges if no bottle is situatedbelow the chute 13. This device is diagrammatically illustrated inFigure 3.

A feeler member 16 is secured to a bell-crank lever 17 to which issecured a spring 13. The lever 17 carries a roller 19, which co-operateswith a cam 20, and the lever 17 also carries a clutch fork 21. Thelatter is in engagement with a collar 22' of a dog clutch 22 slidablykeyed on a. shaft 23 on which the distributor disc 14 is mounted.

The shaft 23 is journalled within an upper bearing 24 having a number ofnotches 25 equal to the number of sectors of the distributor disc 14.The shaft 23 is also journalled in a lower bearing 26 on which isrotatably mounted a pinion 27 having two holes 28 adapted for drivingengagement with pins 29 of the dog clutch 22.

The pinion 27 meshes with a pinion 30 carrying a member 31 shaped as aMaltese cross. The member 31 is driven by a finger- 33 mounted on amotor shaft 34. Thus rotation of the motor shaft effects rotation of themember 31 and hence intermittent movement of the distributor disc 14.

The motor shaft 34 drives a shaft 35 on which is mounted the cam 20.

When the feeler 16 engages a bottle the dog clutch 22 is in engagementwith the pinion 27 and the distributor disc 14 advances by one sectorwhen the member 31 is started.

If, however, no bottle is present, the feeler member 16 advances underthe action of the spring 18 and the dog clutch '22 is moved upwardsthrough the lever 17 and the clutch fork'21. The pins 29 are withdrawnfrom the holes 28, while fingers 32 of the dog clutch 22 engage in th'erecesses 25 in the upper bearing 24'and thus holds the distributor disc14fast'.

When the cam 20 is turned through with respect to the position shown inFigure 3; by which time the bottle will have been filled with lozenges,the roller 19 is pushed towards the right and the filled bottle maytherefore be replaced by an empty bottle.

I claim:

1. An automatic bottle filling machine comprising a turntable; meansdefining a compartment in said turntable adapted to receive'a bottle;means for introducing an empty bottle into and withdrawing a filledbottle from the compartment: three spaced-apart devices mounted abovesaid turntable, the first device being adapted to introduce a wad ofcotton wool into the bottom of the bottle, the second device beingadapted to introduce a predetermined number of lozenges into the bottle,and the third device being adapted to introduce a wad of cotton woolinto the top of the bottle; and means for imparting a step-by-stepmovement to the turntable whereby the compartment is moved intoalignment below each of the said devices in turn; the said first andthird devices comprising a hollow guide formed with a vertical slottherethrough, means for feeding a slub of cotton wool to the interior ofthe guide, a comb, teeth on said comb projecting through the said slot,means for reciprocating the teeth in the slot whereby to move the slubdownwardly within the guide so that an end of the slub projects beneaththe bottom of the guide, means for cutting off the projecting portion ofthe slub so as to form a wad, and means for introducing the wad into thebottle.

2. An automatic bottle filling machine comprising a turntable; meansdefining a compartment in said turntable adapted to receive a bottle;means for introducing an empty bottle into and withdrawing a filledbottle from the compartment; three spaced-apart devices mounted abovesaid turntable, the first device being adapted to introduce a wad ofcotton wool into the bottom of the bottle, the second device beingadapted to introduce a predetermined number of lozenges into the bottle,and the third device being adapted to introduce a wad of cotton woolinto the top of the bottle; and means for imparting a step-by-stepmovement to the turntable whereby the compartment is moved intoalignment below each of the said devices in turn; the said first andthird devices comprising a hollow guide formed with an invertedfrustro-conical interior surface and with a vertical slot therethrough;means for feeding a slub of cotton wool to the interior of the guide, acomb whose teeth project through the said slot, means for reciprocatingthe teeth in the slot whereby to move the slub downwardly within theguide so that the end of the slub projects beneath the bottom of theguide; a rotating knife which is continuously urged against the bottomof the guide and which serves to cut off the projecting portion of theslub so as to form a wad, and means for introducing the wad into thebottle; the hollow guides of the said first and third device beingsecured to each other and being mounted for movement about the axis ofthe turntable, movement of the guides efiecting movement of theturntable.

3. An automatic bottle filling machine comprising a turntable; meansdefining a compartment in said turntable adapted to receive a bottle;means for introducing an empty bottle into and withdrawing a filledbottle from the compartment; three spaced-apart devices mounted abovesaid turntable, the first device being adapted to introduce a wad ofcotton wool into the bottom of the bottle, the second device beingadapted to introduce a predetermined number of lozenges into the bottle,and the third device being adapted to introduce a wad of cotton wool tothe top of the bottle; and means for imparting a step-by-step movementto the turntable whereby the compartment is moved into alignment beloweach of the said devices in turn; the said first and third devicescomprising a hollow guide formed with an inverted frustro-conicalinterior surface and with a vertical slot therethrough, means forfeeding a slub of cotton wool to the interior of the guide, a comb,whose teeth project through the said slot, means for reciprocating theteeth in the slot whereby to move the slub downwardly within the guideso that the end of the slub projects beneath the bottom of the guide; arotating knife which is continuously urged against the bottom of theguide and which serves to cut ofi the pro jecting portion of the slub soas to form a wad, and a fiat piston for introducing the wad into thebottle; the hollow guides of the said first and third device beingsecured to each other and being mounted for movement about the axis ofthe turntable, movement of the guides effecting movement of theturntable.

4. An automatic bottle filling machine comprising a turntable; meansdefining a compartment in said turntable adapted to receive a bottle;means for introducing an empty bottle into and withdrawing a filledbottle from the compartment; three spaced-apart devices mounted abovesaid turntable, the first device being adapted to introduce a wad ofcotton wool into the bottom of the bottle, the second device beingadapted to introduce a predetermined number of lozenges into the bottle,and the third device being adapted to introduce a wad of cotton wool tothe top of the bottle; and means for imparting a step-by-step movementto the turntable whereby the compartment is moved into alignment beloweach of the said devices in turn; the said first and third devicescomprising a hollow guide, means for feeding a slub of cotton wool tothe interior of the guide, means for moving the slub downwardly withinthe guide so that an end of the slub projects beneath the bottom of theguide, means for cutting ofi the projecting portion of the slub so as toform a wad, and means for introducing the wad into the bottle; thehollow guides of the said first and third device being secured to eachother and being mounted for movement about the axis of the turntable,movement of the guides effecting movement of the turntable.

5. An automatic bottle filling machine according to claim 4 in which thedevice for introducing lozenges into the bottle comprises a hopper forlozenges, a distributor disc on to which lozenges may fall from thehopper, the distributor disc being divided into a plurality of sectorseach of which is provided with a plurality of perforations for thepassage therethrough of lozenges, a chute for delivering lozenges fromthe distributor disc to the bottle, and means for rotating thedistributor disc, while the tumtable is stationary, through an angleequal to the angle of the said sectors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,293,625 Smith Feb. 4, 1919 1,717,403 Popov June 18, 1929 2,412,089Kelly Dec. 3, 1946 2,515,594 Fischman July 18, 1950

